Prices, Profitability & Supply/Demand

The spreadsheets listed below provide data and trend lines for various components of the renewable energy industry. These files are updated with new information each month.

The U.S. public is concerned about rising food prices and escalating fuel prices. Recent increases in both fuel and grain prices lead to questions of how these prices have compared historically. Comparisons are presented for crude oil, diesel fuel and gasoline with corn and soybean prices. These monthly data series include comparisons between energy prices (crude oil, gasoline and diesel fuel) and crop prices (corn and soybeans).

The profitability of production for corn, ethanol, and biodiesel is extremely variable. Due to the volatile price nature of these products,and their feedstocks, profitability can change rapidly from month to month. In addition, price variations of co-products (distillers grains with solubles, DDGS) and the production facility’s energy source(natural gas) add to the variability of profits. The models are updated with monthly input and output prices to show the trend of production profitability.

Balance sheets for ethanol and biodiesel, as well as their feedstocks of corn and soybean oil provide insight on available supplies, various sources of demand, and carryover stocks that are left at the end of the marketing year after all demands have been met.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Many materials can be made available in alternative formats for ADA clients. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964.

The names, words, symbols, and graphics representing Iowa State University are trademarks and copyrights of the university, protected by trademark and copyright laws of the U.S. and other countries.